A Much More Interesting Reality
by JessSasquatch
Summary: ..."Are you frightened of me?" Quiet, thoughtful, playful like a snake with it's prey, the words dripped out. She looked at him with sad eyes "Not in the way that you think."
1. A Much More Interesting Reality

_Author's Note:_

_I'm just a silly girl who likes vampires and books and Tru Blood. I own nothing except for Lydia...and even that's up for questioning haha_

_Yes I know it's short, but it's not the size it's what you do with it, right? ;) _

_Review please?  
_

************************************************************

As soon as Lydia stepped off the bus, she quickly began to look through her big brown purse. Digging wildly, she finally extracted her prize with a chesire cat smile: a book. "The Picture of Dorian Gray". She'd rescued it from the dollar bin at a garage sale and hadn't been able to put it down for very long since then. It was worn, the pages were soft, thin, and yellowed; the book would bend and yield easily when she folded it over. And the story...the words turned to colors and images and smells and music when she read them. Lydia had never been pulled so strongly into a story before. That's why she had tripped a couple times and nearly walked into a tree while she was walking home. Still though, she was captivated, and barely took notice of the world and people around her. Real life, to Lydia, did not seem quite nearly as interesting as a story did.

Though, she thought to herself, things had become slightly more interesting since the vampires had "come out of the coffin". Yes, things were more interesting, but mostly they were the same. To Lydia, it seemed like it was just another thing for people to argue about. Constantly she'd heard the ignorant rants of people who thought being a vampire was "a sin against God and nature" blah blah blah. After she'd been approached by sidewalk preachers trying to save her "soul and purity" from the "sacrilegious devil creatures" several times while waiting for a bus, she ended up telling them "Oh, sorry, it's a little too late for that. See, I'm a lesbian and I'm, seeing this _lovely_ lady vampire. You wouldn't _believe_ the things they can do with their fangs...just thinking about it..._ohhhh_" Then with a wink she'd begin to moan, loudly, until they went away cursing her to damnation. Sometimes to change it up, she'd mention the devil worshiping orgies she'd attended. Lydia was very creative that way.

About a block away from her house, after tripping for the fifth time, Lydia tore herself away from her book and put it away. Looking up at the Louisiana sky, she sighed, serenaded the bright stars while a summer perfume of humidity and pine breezed by on the wind. At least for this moment life was good, and she was appreciative of that. Softly she smiled and continued to walk home.

Then she heard the scream.

Desperate and frightening, it rang out to her from the woods next to the church she was passing by. Goosebumps ran up and down her arms by the chilling silence that followed. She took a deep breath as she began to dig through her bag for her cellphone. The moment she plucked it out however, she heard a strange airy noise and got the odd feeling that she was not alone anymore Looking up, Lydia came face to face with a much more interesting and frightening reality.


	2. Falling Under Pressure

_Author's Note: __You know that awesome show called 'Tru Blood' and those amazing books that it's based off of? Well, none of it is mine. All I own is Lydia...not sure if I even want to claim her though haha_

_If you review me I'll be all smiles :)  
_

*************************

The first thing she noticed about him was that his eyes were pure ice. They gave her the shivers.

Lydia was not stupid, she knew what he was the moment she laid eyes on him. The moment she looked up from her purse, she knew she'd come face to face with a vampire.

He was tall, even though she was 5'11 he towered over her ominously. His hair was blonde and short; she found it his most ironic attribute since it reminded her of sunshine. There was no warmth to him though, she could tell right now she was dealing with a very serious individual. A very scary individual. An undeniable attractive individual. Still though, the staring contest couldn't go on forever.

"Hello.." Lydia nervously squeaked out, still fiddling with the cellphone in her hands. "Nice evening isn't it?" She gulped. It's hard not the do that sort of thing in that situation.

The vampires eyebrows raised slightly, but his face remained emotionless. "What is your name?" He spoke softly but stern.

"L-Lydia Wright." She stuttered out. She didn't want to know his, the less she knew, the more likely she thought she'd get out of this alive. Like I said before, Lydia was not stupid, and that scream and this vampire were no coincidence.

"Lydia, look at me." His voice took on a gentler tone.

"Oh no you don't!" Closing her eyes tightly she turned away from him. "I don't want any trouble, but I will _not_ comply to being glamoured. I do not like the idea of have my mind messed with!" She would have ran if she thought she stood a chance of getting away, but that was about as likely as a pig with wings.

Lydia heard the strange airy noise again and realized he was in front of her. Then all of the sudden, his hand was on her throat, slowly beginning to apply pressure. Soon she wouldn't be able to breathe. She didn't bother to struggle against him, all she could do was gasp the word "_Wait.."_

The pressure did not increase, but he didn't loosen his grip either. "I do not have time to play games." He rumbled out lowly. "Open your eyes."

Death is a very powerful threat. Lydia opened her eyes. The vampire's grip loosened and she could breathe much more freely. She stared at him, breathing hard. "Don't do it." She wasn't begging him, she was telling him. "I don't want to forget anything." For the first time that night, an obvious emotion graced his features: curiosity. As soon as it had come though it had gone.

"Look at me." His voice was softer now, gentler. "You are safe..." She knew in a moment she'd be under his trance. She wouldn't be able to help whoever had cried out in the woods. She wouldn't be able to do anything but what he'd tell her too. She knew this was the first time in a long time something truly more fascinating then what she'd read in a book had happened to her; and she wouldn't remember anything about it. Tears swelled to the edge of her eyes.

_"Look at me..."_ She was drowning in the beauty of his voice. "_You are safe..."_ Finally the swells overtook her. The caress of his voice melted the rest of the world away until all that was left was darkness and the crickets and the smell of summer...


	3. Bittersweet Dreams and Surprises

_Author's Note:_ _I do not own Tru Blood or anything in this story that someone else made up. All I own is Lydia, and she's starting to grow on me so I'm going to keep her around for awhile I think :)_

_Also I would like to thank **forestmae** and **AmaZen** for their kind reviews :))_

_Anyways, enjoy the chapter, let me know what you think. Reviews are pretty awesome to get and I really do appreciate them.  
_

************************************************************************************************************

_"Look at me..." _

_A beautiful voice called to her from the haze. She was surrounded by darkness. His voice was all she had to hold onto. _

_"Lydia, look at me.." How did he know her name? She had so many questions...but she couldn't speak. She tried to scream, but no sound would come out. She had to find him. She wanted to know who he was, and why his voice sounded so familiar and comforting and...terrifying...all at the same time. Then through the darkness came a lighter shadow. Moving leisurely towards her, she reached for it. "Lydia.." she knew it was him, whoever he was. Finally she found her voice, although it came out soft and muffled "Wait.." She felt as though she had forgotten something. The shadow moved closer. _

_"Open your eyes."_

Lydia woke up panting, shaking, covered in sweat. She couldn't remember any of her dream...except a voice. A voice had been calling to her. Her heart ached and she didn't know why. Shaking her head as if to get rid of the nightmare, she rubbed eyes and got out of bed.

This was the third morning she'd woken up like that. "That's it..." Lydia murmured sleepily. "I'm going to start taking NyQuil..."

Her room was messy and small. Books littered most available surfaces, several notebooks also were spread throughout. A computer desk and chair, a bed, a lamp, a dresser, a closet and a TV. No pictures or posters on the walls. Lydia was just happy if she could manage to keep her clothes in the hamper instead of on the floor; she wasn't one for decorating.

Checking the time on her phone, it was 8:00am, Lydia saw the date too and realized that it was Saturday and she had the day off from work. She worked at a local discount book store called 'The Book Barrel'; she couldn't think of a job she'd be happier to have. All day she was able to read and talk books, plus she got first pick on new arrivals and a great discount. What more could a girl ask for?

Still though, it was her day off, and she felt adventurous. Most people assume that because you're a bookworm you don't have a wild side; the truth is the bigger the bookworm, the more daring the person. That's why Lydia called her friend Stacy.

Stacy was insane. A beautiful brunette with a smart mouth, she always found trouble. And trouble always regretted finding her. To Stacy, life was a story to be lived to the fullest. Every day was a party, all the world was a stage; and she of course was the star.

"Helloooo darling! How have you been? OH MY GOD! I NEED TO TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT! You won't believe it!" Singing and shrieking into the phone, Stacy began telling her about her latest antics and the victims. After about 20 minutes she seemed to be wrapping it up. "...anyways that's the last time I'm doing shots on a roof while there's a pool below."

"Didn't you say that last time when you were with Freddy?" Lydia teased lightly.

"Well I mean it this time! I swear!" The two laughed and joked and tried to make plans for the day. Then Stacy shrieked again. "OH MY GOD! You know what we need to do? Remember last time we hung out and I made you try on that GORGEOUS red dress and those CRAZY heels? You should go get yourself those instead of buying 50 more books and then..." Stacy's voice turned mischievous. "Well, then I have a little surprise for you!"

Lydia thought back to the time her and Stacy went into a boutique with old fashioned pin-up girl style clothing. The dress had been satin, red, and stunning. The most amazing thing about it though was how it looked on her when Stacy finally goaded her into trying it on. The majority of the time, Lydia was very simple with her clothing choices. Jeans and a tank top or t shirt was fine by her. Trying on that dress though, she had rethought her wardrobe; in that dress Lydia felt like the most beautiful woman in the world, even though most of the time she felt pretty plain. The only reason she hadn't got it was because she couldn't think of a single place she could wear it at, plus it was right around when rent for her apartment was due. Now though rent was paid...and Stacy had seemed to have found a place for her and the dress.

"Is it a good surprise?" Lydia laughed into the phone.

"It's a really truly amazing surprise! You'll love it!" Stacy giggled. "Meet me at the boutique in an hour! We're going to spend all day prettying ourselves up, then we're going out!"

Lydia wasn't sure if she should be excited or terrified, but still she hung up with a genuine smile. She had a feeling it really was going to be a good day and a good suprise.


	4. A Strong Shot Of Deja Vu

_Author's Note: I don't own Tru Blood. Still haven't seen tonight's episode yet actually :( I do own Lydia though...and apparently Stacy now too. Should I kill Stacy off? Bwhahaha_

_Reviews let me know if I suck or not. You should write one. :)_

After she'd showered and gotten dressed, Lydia flipped on the TV to watch the news till she had to go wait for the bus. She had her license, and a car, but something had made it break down. She forgot the name of the part she'd already paid for and ordered, but it apparently was important. So for the next week until it came in and was installed, she was stuck with public transportation.

At first, it was classic filler news. 'Dog learns new trick', stuff like that. Then the news anchor put on his 'solemn' face and gravely spoke of a recent accident. "Today the body of the Reverend John Trace was found. He went missing three days ago. It appears that while driving home, he lost control of his car and it crashed and sunk to the bottom of the Wilson River. He was the Reverend of Haughton First Baptist, and was becoming more prominent in the media for his activism against the vampire movement. Further inquiries are being made, but so far police believe that this is a tragic accident, and not a homicide case." During the anchors monologue, pictures of the reverend were shown and footage of the church as well.

"That's right down the road..." Lydia spoke to herself quietly. Looking at the clock, she decided it was time to head out and catch the bus. As she passed by the church, she stopped and looked at it curiously. News vans were parked on the edge of the lot, and several people placed flowers on and around the entrance steps. Then she scanned the woods beside it. An odd feeling of fear crept up inside her and she didn't know why. Lydia moved on.

- - - - -

After buying the dress and spending all day being dolled up by Stacy, Lydia felt like she couldn't get any more ready than this. Stacy still hadn't told her where they were going. Lydia fidgeted nervously in the passenger seat of Stacy's Jetta while Stacy drove on happily and oozed confidence in her tight black dress.

"C'mon Stace! One little hint?" Lydia begged sweetly, batting her eyelashes.

Stacy grinned wildly. "Okay. One hint: The place is to die for!" She giggled hysterically.

Lydia sat and thought quietly for a moment and looked up at her friend in shock. "You're taking me to a vampire bar aren't you?"

Stacy pouted. "Damn. You really shouldn't read so many books you know, it makes you too smart for your own good. C'mon though Lyd! It's not all that bad at all I bet! You and I both know all that vamp shit those religious nuts sell is bogus! And also-"

Lydia was laughing and cut her off. "Stacy! It's fine!"

"It's not so- Wait, what?"

"I just never thought about going before but...if you want to go, I'm game."

"Alright then! Let's go to a vampire bar. I'll bet their _dying_ to meet us!" Stacy giggled some more.

Lydia groaned. "Just promise me, no more bad jokes."

Soon, after some crazy driving courtesy of Stacy, they arrived in Shreveport at the club.

"_Fangtastia__?" _Lydia muttered. "So much for no more bad jokes..."

Easing herself out of the car, her nerves began to creep up on her again. Stacy intervened with that though. "Holy crap girl! You look like sex on a stick! Yes, that dress was definetly a good idea." A smug grin hit Stacy's lips as she looked Lydia up and down.

The dress hugged her tight around the bust and let loose around her waist, hanging just above her knees. The shoes brought her already noticeable height up 3 more inches, they were black with red heels. Her hair curled in romantic waves, a drastic change from her usual ponytail. Her makeup however was very light and natural, just a little shadow, mascara and lip gloss. Taking a deep breath, Lydia decided she was ready. She winked at her friend "Just don't let me get eaten."

"No promises." Stacy smiled back.

After waiting in line for awhile, they were carded and let in by a blonde lady vampire. _Fangtasia_ turned out to be a lot more intense than Lydia had guessed it would be. Sure, there were touristy parts of it, (the t shirts, the other merchandise, the tourists themselves), but the vampires here were darker. Realer. More animal like.

You could see it in the way they moved, the way they watched other people. Lydia had had vampire customers at the shop before and seen them other places, but those were main streamers. She realized as soon as she entered the bar that these vampires were quite a bit different than the ones she'd met.

Stacy however, seemed undeterred. "Let's get a drink, okay?" As she asked she began dragging Lydia to the bar. "Excuse me!" She hollered to the bartender, her voice barely audible over the thrumming, throbbing techno music. "Can we get two shots of tequila please?" She smiled sweetly at the man as he poured the drinks. Handing them off to the girls, he barely made eye contact before he collected their money and glided off to another customer. Lydia looked warily at the drink for a moment, then closed her eyes and swallowed. Stacy took hers like a pro. "Alright darling! Time to dance!"

Stacy dragged her off once again. Bodies surrounded them, dancing and grinding against each other. Stacy let loose like an animal, outdoing the best of them in Lydia's mind. Lydia danced with a smile, but not so much inhibition. After awhile, she decided to step out and get another drink. "I'll be right back, need a drink!" She mouthed to her friend before she pushed through the crowd.

The bar looked twice as busy as when they'd come in. She stood aside, looking around the rest of the bar while she waited for the rush to ease up. Thats when she saw him.

A man with short blonde hair and a bored gaze sat on a throne on a stage at the edge of the room. He wore a tight black shirt and pants. And judging by how far his legs stuck out from his chair, he was probably very tall. He was terrifying and beautiful all at the same time. Lydia got butterflies just looking at him. There was something odd though...even though she knew she would've remembered meeting someone like him before...she couldn't shake the feeling that she recognized him. Like a vague sense of _deja vu_. All of the sudden his eyes looked her way. Then she saw a space at the bar and eased her way in, glad to be away from his stare and near some liquor. After she'd managed to purchase another shot though, she saw Stacy heading towards the door with an attractive man.

"Oh no!" Lydia groaned in irritation. She followed after them sluggishly through the thick crowd.


	5. Trouble With A Memory

_Author's Note:__ Tru Blood is not mine. If it was, the show would be Eric running around naked 24/7. Godric too. So yeah, I own nothing. Except for Lydia. And Stacy.  
_

_Oh yeah, and at this point the big bad scary vampire with Stacy is random, not anyone in particular. Watch out for him though... ;D bwahaha_

_Enjoy it! Reviews are nice. More Eric soon! I promise! :D_

The crisp night hit Lydia as she stumbled out the bars doors. She saw Stacy and her attractive new friend walking towards Stacy's car. "HEY! STACY!" Her friend didn't even turn around. Suddenly, she realized what must have happened. "HEY! HEY!" She hollered after her glamoured friend, as she stumble/ran in her heels, trying to catch up. The attractive vampire Stacy was with turned in her direction, an annoyed look on his face. She heard a strange airy noise..then the deja vu again..."_Where have I heard that before?_" She wondered, before the vampire stood right in front of her.

He was medium height, had dark curly hair, and he was quite angry at her interruption. "Can I help you?" He sneered at her. His words dripped with displeasure and Lydia could tell he was trying to intimidate her.

However, when it came to her friends, it was surprising how intimidating Lydia could become. Standing up straighter with a look that could kill, she stared the vampire up and down. "Actually yes. You can start by undoing whatever glamouring you did to my friend there. Then you can go trot along and find yourself another meal, cos I'm sorry to inform you that _that_ girl," Lydia pointed to Stacy who stood by the car with a dreamy, unfazed look on her face. " is off limits. She's a no-no. And she's my ride home. So I suggest you move along with a quickness bud."

Then his hand was around her throat, he was looking at her intensely;she felt the deja vu again, and it only increased as he spoke. "Look at me..." His voice was soft and coaxing, but there was something lacking in it. She felt like there was something missing, like his voice was wrong. Lydia closed her eyes, trying to avoid his gaze. Before he could cut off all her air, she began to scream, though it came out quietly and the vampire cut it off with his hand on her mouth. It was at that moment that Lydia truly thought that it might be the end. Strangely though, she wasn't so afraid. Just sad about not being able to help Stacy.

"Is there a problem here?" Soft and low...and so familiar..._Why is that voice so familiar?_...a voice spoke in the darkness. Lydia's eyes fluttered open, unable to fight her curiosity. And there he was, the man from the throne in the bar.

The vampire with his hand around her throat lightened his grip barely and looked at the vampire speaking to him. "Just a mouthy little blood bag interfering with my good time." He growled then looked back to Lydia, his fangs shone brightly in the darkness. Furious, she thrashed in his hold, tearing at his skin, though she knew it would be a fruitless effort. "Fucking cunt!" The vampire threw her hard, she flew, and smashed against a nearby dumpster. Lydia bit her lip until it bled to keep herself from howling in pain.

"You couldn't glamour her?" The voice spoke, emotionless, and her eyes fluttered open again. She thought she saw him look her way, but her vision was swimming from her tears at this point. She closed her eyes again, trying to focus on staying conscious.

"The little bitch closed her eyes, wouldn't listen to me." Her attacker answered with obvious disdain.

There was a pause, then the blonde vampire spoke. "I'll take care of this from here. Go home." It was an order.

"What about-"

"I'm afraid you're going to have to find yourself some other entertainment tonight. Her friend is off limits for now."

"Yes sheriff." Her attacker grumbled and Lydia heard that strange airy noise. Then she heard footsteps, leisurely walking her way, until she knew someone was right in front of her.

Lydia painfully tilted her head up and looked into the face of the familiar vampire. This time though, she saw his eyes. His eyes were pure ice. They gave her the shivers..._and deja vu_...then..._a memory..._

_"Look at me." His voice was softer now, gentler. "You are safe..." She knew in a moment she'd be under his trance. She wouldn't be able to help whoever had cried out in the woods. She wouldn't be able to do anything but what he'd tell her too. She knew this was the first time in a long time something truly more fascinating then what she'd read in a book had happened to her; and she wouldn't remember anything about it. Tears swelled to the edge of her eyes_

"I.."She whispered softly, unsurely, "I remember you...?"

Then she closed her eyes, and the world was black.


	6. Exquisite Joys and Exquisite Sorrows

_Author's Note: I don't own Tru Blood. I also should mention I don't own 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' even though I'll probably be referencing it a lot. All I own is Lydia. _

**_WWEchica_**_: I totally agree. If I saw Eric on the street I'd probably go crazy, rip my clothes off, and tackle his sexy sexy ass :D Have you seen the Fangtastia calender shot yet? Holy cow!_

_Thank you guys for your support and reading this :) Reviews are pretty cool to get too :))_

_Enjoy!_

_**********************************************************************************************_

_There was a book in her hands._

_The world was blurry, colors bright. She felt like she was under water. _

_Flipping it over, she saw the crinkled cover of her latest passion, "The Picture of Dorian Gray". With a smile she softly caressed it, then opened it to one of the first few pages. All the words seemed to blur and fade under her gaze...except for one sentence:__ 'I had a strange feeling that Fate had in store for me exquisite joys and exquisite sorrows.'_

_A wave of confusion swept over her and the words made no real sense anymore._

"Open your eyes."

_There was that voice again, calling out to her from the haze...she softly smiled..._

Slowly, Lydia began to wake up. Stretching her arms out, she reached for her cellphone on the bedside table...only to realize three things:

1. She ached everywhere, from her head to her toes.

2. She was on a leather couch, not her bed.

and 3. She had just put her hand on someones leg.

Her eyes popped open as she yanked her hand back quickly and stumbled into a sitting position on the couch. In front of her sat the familiar blonde vampire with a smirk on his face. Slowly she began to remember what had happened before she'd gone unconscious. Sitting up straighter, Lydia asked with a glare, "Where is Stacy?"

His smirk never wavered as he softly and simply answered. "At home."

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath as she began to piece together the rest of the nights events...the other vampire, the pain, and..._the memory..._Lydia slowly opened her eyes again and looked at the man in front of her. "Who are you?" She whispered curiously.

His cool demeanor changed, and he was staring at her intensely. Leaning forward, with a look that bordered on curiosity, he replied. "You tell me."

Lydia stared him straight in the eyes. "You glamoured me didn't you?" She couldn't keep the shock out her voice. "That's why you seemed so familiar! Your voice, the dreams, the..._the church_!" Now her eyes were wide, her mouth was a perfect 'O', and she was staring at the stranger like he'd grown an extra head. All of this was just too weird. It was so surreal; it was like something...something out of a book. "_Oh great. They always say 'be careful what you wish for'. Ugh!"_ Lydia thought to herself and bit back a groan of frustration.

"This is a very curious situation." The voice of the stranger pulled her back from her thoughts. He was looking at her deeply, studying her like a painting. Lydia fidgeted uncomfortably.

Trying to push through the awkwardness, Lydia asked the first thing that came to her head. "What's your name?"

He paused, looked at her strangely, then answered. "Eric."

"Eric..." She tested the name out. She stood up and he leaned away, letting her pass so she could pace the room. She took in the mostly bare walls, the messy desk, and almost smiled at the familiar habits she also kept. Then the weight of the memory pressed on her and she couldn't help herself from asking another question. She purposely looked at the desk as she questioned quietly "What happened at the church that night?" All she wanted was answers to explain what led her to this mess she was in.

Before she could blink, he was in front of her. A wall of pale muscle with a smirk slowly starting to plaster his face. And his fangs...those pearly white daggers, so exquisite and deadly, were protruding from his vicious smile. "Are you frightened of me?" Quiet, thoughtful, playful like a snake with it's prey, the words dripped out.

She looked at him with sad eyes "Not in the way that you think."


	7. In Time

_Author's Note:__ I do not own Trublood Sam I am, but I really like Eric's juicy ham :p_

_Awee okay, that was kind of dirtyyyy, too much? ;D_

_Thank you all for the reviews and putting me on your alerts and all that jazz; you have no idea how loved I feel haha_

_More soon!_

She hadn't meant to say that. She was thinking it, but she didn't mean to say it. Lydia put her hand to her lips instantly as if to steal the words and force them back in her mouth. No such luck though.

Frustration flashed across Eric's eyes and he growled lowly, inching closer to her, predator-like. "What do you mean?"

Lydia stepped back, almost tripping on her heels, she gulped, then spoke softly, nervously. "Well uhm...when you ask me if I'm afraid of you, I think you mean am I afraid of you draining me or turning me, or am I afraid of you tearing me into little pieces. Don't get me wrong, uhm, that's not exactly my idea of a good time or anything, but uhm..." Lydia paused, switching her gaze from the floor to his eyes. Staring at him, she couldn't seem to find words anymore, and forgot what she was saying altogether, entranced and horrified of his cruel type of beauty all at once.

"..but what?" Eric's voice pulled her again out of her thoughts and back into the present.

Gathering herself, Lydia continued to look him in the eyes and said "You should already know by now what I really frightens me about you."

Eric paused for a moment, staring at Lydia with an unreadable gaze. Then his expression cleared as he spoke. "You do not like to be glamoured."

"Bingo."

They looked at each other, neither moving or making a sound except for the soft breathes that whispered past Lydia's lips. He seemed to be examining her, sizing her up possibly. But for what reason, she couldn't say. Once again, she was the first to break the silence.

"You never did answer my question."

"I don't have too." Again he was unreadable, a marble sculpture made beautifully but lacking in passion and expression.

"I know you don't have to, but I'd appreciate it if you would all the same." Calm and polite Lydia pressed on.

Eric moved away from her, and very ungracefully plopped on the couch. Slightly sneering her answered. "I dealt with a problem."

Lydia sat on the edge of the desk. "So why did you kill him?" For some reason, possibly because somewhere inside she hadn't accepted she wasn't dreaming yet, she wasn't mortified by his actions. Lydia had always been a fairly good judge of character. While she could see the infinite line of cruelty and chaos he could create if angered, in the madness he lived she could see reason. Eric's actions seemed far from careless.

He was looking at her in that strange way again, then he answered "I discovered he had begun to plan an attack on my bar and it's patrons. The man was insane. I did what was necessary."

Lydia remained silent, mulling things over in her head. Assuming he wasn't lying, and it's not like he had a reason to be dishonest, he could easily kill her, then she could understand his reasoning. She herself had been witness to several cruel actions against vampire rights supporters, and even mainstreaming vampires that had come into her work sometimes would be refused service. The world was an unkind place, and she knew this very well. Sometimes in order to survive, you needed to be unkind back.

Eric's voice pulled her out of her thoughts again. "You may leave now. There is a car out back that will take you home." As he spoke he rose from the couch and opened the door, then lead the way to the exit.

Lydia followed, befuddled. When she began to walk to the car, Eric grabbed her wrist suddenly. He wasn't rough, but his grip was firm. His hand was cold, and she shivered. Still though, she felt herself flushing at the same time. Grinning, Eric leaned to her ear and whispered "We'll be seeing each other soon ." Then he released her, and Lydia quickly got in the car.

After telling the driver her address, Lydia looked out the window and watched the stars and city lights blur into one another against the dark curtain of night. Tonight's events had shone a light on one secret, one question, but she couldn't help but wonder how many more awaited her in the shadows; and in Eric's words.

Answers would reveal themselves in their own time...and she had a feeling Eric would too.


	8. The Love Song Of J Alfred Prufrock

_Author's Note:__ I don't own True Blood, Eric, T.S. Eliot, Jesus, etc._

_That being said, I am soooo sorry for taking forever to post a new chapter guys. I'm an avid fanfic reader myself, so I know how frustrating it can be to wait like a month for a chapter. My only excuse is I'm a real perfectionist and it's hard for me to post a new chapter cos I want it to be good quality for you guys, and even now I'm sitting here skimming this, doubting myself, thinking you deserve something more. Still though, this is all I have for now. I promise I'll try and force out more chapters soon._

_Also, the title of the chapter is the title of the poem mentioned. In case anyone was interested in knowing that lol_

_Now on to the story! :)  
_

The morning after, Lydia laid in bed thinking about the night before. Had it been real? Or had her dreams finally become so life-like that she couldn't separate reality from fiction?

Then as she sifted through and analyzed her memory, a wave of concern for Stacy washed over her. Grabbing wildly for her phone Lydia punched in Stacy's number, anxiously listening to it ring.

"Hello darling..."Stacy's voice mumbled sleepily from the phone. It was only 10 in the morning; noon was usually when she got up and started chugging coffee. "Last night was fun hmm?"

"Yeah...about that, uhm..well I kind of had quite a bit to drink, I'm a little fuzzy on some parts..." Lydia crossed her fingers as she spoke.

Stacy giggled "That's what you get for drinking instead of dancing doll face. And sore feet are a much better alternative to a hang-over I might add! Anywho, you didn't miss anything big really. Just a regular night out, like at any other bar, except the people were a little more cold. Get it? _Cold_?"

Lydia groaned. Stupid vampire jokes. "Okay, very funny. Anything else happen?"

"Nope. I just dropped you off at home then passed out at my place. You actually didn't seem all that drunk to be honest. I'm gonna have to keep my eye on you next time we go out I guess, huh honey?"

"Yeah, yeah...I guess so..." Lydia mumbled something about taking a shower, then said goodbye.

So, either she'd suddenly gone insane and had begun to conjure up non-exsistent memories involving a very attractive and lethal vampire, _or_ Stacy had been glamoured and sent home. Considering the fact she was quite achey and had a decent sized cut on her temple that apparently couldn't be explained by a bar brawl, Lydia was going to go with the latter theory for now.

For now though, the functions of her mundane life had to take priority. It was time to get ready for work. The thought of a regular day was comforting. Lydia got out of bed with a soft smile.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lydia couldn't stop grinning as she began to shelf a new shipment of books. All of them looked fascinating, and she couldn't wait to put that employee discount to good use once she clocked out. A new book of poetry caught her eye, and she began to flick through it with a broad smile.

"You know, it's hard to sell books to the customers when you keep scooping them up for yourself." The teasing voice of her co-worker Todd snuck up behind her. Lydia jumped a little and whirled around, book still in hand with her thumb holding her place.

"Don't do that!" She laughed lightly. "I'm sorry, but I can't help it. You really need to stock a crummier selection if you want me to stop buying them. How about you order some more of the 'Twilight' series?" Todd grimaced as Lydia stuck her tongue out at him childishly.

Todd shook his head. "Well what is it that's got you this time?"

"Poetry!" She replied, waving the book in front of him like a flag.

"What else..." he sighed. "So, which one are you reading right now?"

Opening the book, Lydia smiled at him and replied "It's a T.S. Eliot Poem. It's long, but absolutely hypnotizing. Listen, this is my favorite part..

'Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?

I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach

I have heard the mermaids singing each to each-' "

She was cut off by a soft baritone that seemed to appear out of thin air. "I do not think that they will sing to me." It spoke back to her, voice devoid of emotion.

Looking up suprisedly from the book, she found herself looking back at her interesting new acquaintance. "Do you like poetry Eric?" She couldn't keep the hint of amusement out of her voice.

"Not particularly." He replied boredly, looking around the store with no real interest. "However it's hard to go 1,000 years without picking up a book."

Todd coughed lightly, shifting uncomfortably when Eric looked over to him.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Todd, this is Eric. Eric, Todd." Lydia gestured between the two, awkwardly. Eric smirked, Todd seemed to go a little pale.

"Well uh, uhm, Eric, nice meeting you...Lydia, I'm gonna go uh..." Todd looked around the room and spotted a customer heading to the register. "I'm gonna go ring them up. So uh..yeah. When you're done putting away those books you can go home." Scuttling away while he spoke, Todd made his escape.

"I take it your friend isn't too fond of vampires." Eric's amusement was obvious when he spoke.

Lydia watched Todd race to the counter with a frown and sighed. "It's not that, he's just a bit frightened is all." Turning her gaze back to Eric, she saw him giving her that calculating look again.

"Are you sure you're human?"

"Well what else is there to be? It's not like I'm a talking carrot or something." Lydia began to reach for another book to put in its place, but a cold hand on her wrist stopped her.

"These are all to be placed on this shelf here, alphabetically by authors last name then title. Correct?"

"Yes.."

A _whoosh_ of air, and the fluttering of pages, then a dizzying minute later and the job was done. The only book left was the one she'd been reading from. A smug looking Eric leaned on the bookshelf.

"Now Ms Wright, are you ready to go?"


	9. Concrete Questions

_**Author's Note:**__ I do noooot own True Blood or the Southern Vampire Mysteries or Eric. I wish! If I did Alex Skarsgard would be naked in every scene ;D_

_I'm sorry it's been so long! And trust me when I say I have more coming, I just was anxious to post this completely unsatisfying chapter to let you all know that there will be much much muuuuch more soon. Mmmkay?_

_Don't stake me bro :p_

_*****************************  
_

In any person's life, there are answers that you believe are concrete to questions that you believe should be simple.

Would you ever murder someone? Of course not!

Would you ever keep a murder a secret? Never!

Could you ever be attracted to someone who you knew had committed a murder? Definitely not.

These questions, these answers, they had never distinctly come into Lydia's mind, but subconsciously she thought she could agree with these statements. Never once did she think she could end up in her current situation, turning two out of there of her previous conceptions completely false.

So what does one do when one's previous ideas of oneself turn completely topsy-turvy? Why, one takes up the offer of a vampire of course!

Lydia, for a moment, thought she had been hallucinating when Eric asked her to come with him. "Wait, what?" A confused expression crossed her face.

"I said: 'Are you ready to go ?', that's the second time you've told me to wait. I'd appreciate it if you don't try my patience." Eric rumbled lowly, his tone half amused half bored; and never ceasling intimidating.

"What do you mean, 'the second time'?"

Eric paused and seemed to search her with his eyes. Ignoring her question, he replied "Get your things." Then turned and began walking toward the exit.

With a hurried goodbye to Todd, Lydia scooped up the book of poetry, grabbed her purse from behind the counter, and tried to catch up with the vampires long strides.

He was leaning against a beautiful, sleek, black Porsche. It suited him, appearing to be just as elegant and lethal.

"I can't say your taste in cars surprises me..." Lydia smiled slightly as she took in the sight.

"Get in." Was his only response as he walked to the drivers seat.

She hesitated. This was one of those questions that had a concrete answer that had been drilled into her head since preschool "Never get in a car with a strange man." However, Lydia had come to realize that those questions were suited to ordinary situations, to ordinary people. Neither was the case here.

More curious than afraid; more trusting than she should be, Lydia slid into the passengers seat. After she had clicked the seat belt there was no turning back. They were off.

* * *

The car sped down the rode, gracefully but with a frightening pace. Lydia refused to look at the speed-o-meter. It made her sick to look out the windows and see the world flashing by like a neon roller coaster ride. So she closed her eyes. After a few minutes of silence, she couldn't help but ask, "Where are we going?"

"To see someone who can answer my questions."


End file.
